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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26917981">Day 7 - Enemy to Caretaker</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/pkg4mumtown/pseuds/pkg4mumtown'>pkg4mumtown</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Whumptober 2020 [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>John Wick (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Jardani Jovonovich, Ruska Roma, canonical violence, young!john</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 01:08:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,081</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26917981</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/pkg4mumtown/pseuds/pkg4mumtown</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Day 7 of Whumptober. Support / Enemy to Caretaker.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>John Wick/Reader, John Wick/You</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Whumptober 2020 [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1955395</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Day 7 - Enemy to Caretaker</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div class="">
  <p>
    
  </p>
  <p>I straightened my back as I watched Jardani get thrown across the sparring mat, internally cringing at how hard he landed on his shoulder. The force of the landing caused the side of his head to slam into the mat and daze him. He wasn’t fast enough to recover from the hit and was mounted by the other fighter. I smirked as the other fighter wailed on him until the Director angrily called for the end of the fight. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Jardani was one of our best fighters, so when he did poorly, the Director was extremely vocal about her displeasure. Despite having the men and women separate, the Director would often have everyone spar together since we would encounter all different kinds of people once we entered the field. His loss would mean I was their best for the time being since Jardani and I would always trade matches. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>It was always a satisfying experience to watch Jardani lose because he was so naturally good at fighting that he got too cocky. I rubbed my lips together in an effort to hide my smirk as he tried to push himself to his feet. He had probably hit his head too hard and had a slight concussion. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You think this is funny?” I heard from a few feet away, chills running down my spine as I recognized the Director’s unmistakable tone. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>I sat impossibly higher and cleared my face of any emotion as she stepped over to me. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You want him to get killed out on a hit? You want him to fail just so you can look better?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>I gulped but didn’t respond to her questions because I knew I would say the wrong thing about her golden boy. Instead, I watched as Jardani got to his knees and shook his head, which probably wasn’t a good idea. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“If you enjoyed this so much, why don’t you go escort him to his room and tend to him for the night. That might give you a better appreciation for your classmates, even if you end up on opposite sides later on in life,” the Director ordered. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>I was on my feet in half a second, not one to disobey a direct order, “Yes, Director.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>I strode over to Jardani with a straight face and offered him a hand to help him the rest of the way to his feet. He gripped my hand tightly as he staggered to his feet, looking down at me with a cold, hardened stare like he usually did. I was the only one of the females who gave him a hard time, so I was the only one he treated coldly. I looked away, feeling the Director’s words having an effect on me, as they usually did.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>I wrapped an arm around his waist while he draped a heavy arm across my shoulders. We stumbled out of the sparring room, incredibly uncoordinated because we could never work well together in the past, so why should this be any different? Jardani had a hand clutching his ribs while his head hung low, presumably pounding from the way he cringed with every step.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>When we reached his door, I opened it for him and ushered him in. He sat on the edge of the bed with a loud grunt that morphed into a groan as he clutched his torso. I quickly came to his side and hesitated, but followed the Director’s instructions.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Let me see if anything is broken, <em>sobrat,” </em>I murmured the word in Russian to emphasize that I was trying to respect our comraderie for once.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Just—,” he pushed my hand away roughly, “—go.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“The Direct—,” I tried to interrupt him.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Like you always listen to what the Director says, please,” he scoffed.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Jardani, pl—.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I’m giving you an out,” he sighed.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“In all honesty, I’m more scared of the Director than you, so if she catches me not here...I’m screwed,” I kneeled next to him and sat back on my heels looking up at him.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Whatever,” he grumbled and got up to take a quick shower. He stumbled slightly, so I caught him but he soon shrugged me off. “I can manage in there by myself,” he murmured while grabbing a change of clothes from a drawer.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>His shower was, indeed, quick and soon he was coming out in a fresh change of clothes. He sat on the edge of the bed again and moved to lay down.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Woah, woah, woah, hold on,” I stopped him. I yanked his shirt up, already seeing bruising forming. I pressed against his ribs lightly and didn’t feel anything out of place.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>I sat back again, “Jardani, it might be best if you don’t sleep tonight.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He rolled his eyes for the upteenth time and ran a hand through his damp, cropped hair. He angrily opened his bedside drawer, swallowed two pain pills dry, and slammed the drawer shut.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I’ll be fine.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You probably have a concussion, and it’ll be more comfortable if you put your back against the wall,” I grabbed him under his armpits and practically dragged him until he cooperated. He sat up against the wall and clenched his jaw shut. “I’ll stay up with you,” I toed my shoes off and sat at the foot of his bed and crossed my legs with my back hunched slightly.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He seemed surprised at me making myself comfortable and offering to stay. He worried his lip between his teeth for a minute before nodding to the space next to him.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You’ll be more comfortable like this, too,” he sighed.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>I met his eyes for a brief second before I was sitting gingerly next to him to avoid jostling anything. I wrung my fingers together awkwardly as we had never been near each other for this long without beating the crap out of each other.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I’m sorry,” I mumbled. He turned his head toward me, not even having to ask for clarification before I was speaking again, “For smiling, I mean, I’m sorry.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Jardani simply shrugged at my confession, “It’s fine.” Then, he chuckled, a sound I wasn’t acquainted with from him, “I’ve done the same, I’m just better at hiding it.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Jardani’s eyes met mine, full of mirth, with a playful grin playing on his lips.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>I scoffed and laughed with him, “Dick,” I lightly slapped his chest.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Hey!” He groaned after flinching and causing pain to radiate from his ribs.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Maybe tonight wouldn’t be so terrible after all.</p>
</div>
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